Single use mold for obround water meter barrels



J. L. FORD Dec. 30, 1958 SINGLE USE MOLD FOR OBROUND WATER METERBARREL-S 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1956 INVENTOR fog L. FZRDQwRQQWQ -A -I"TO/2NE Y Dec. 30, 1958 J. L. FORD 2,866,251

SINGLE USE MOLD FOR OBROUND WATER METER BARRELS Filed July s, 1956 2SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

TQHN L FORD I BY M Ml ATTORNEY 2,866,251 Patented Dec. 30, 1958 John L.Ford, Wabash, Ind, assignor to The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc., Wabash,Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 5, 1956, Serial No.595,905

6 Claims. (Cl. 25-118) The present invention relates to a mold for usein forming, from concrete or similar settable material, tubular elementsof obround cross section. Preferably, the mold consists of a pair ofcooperating sheathelements which may preferably be formed of disposablematerial such as, for instance, corrugated board, together with suitablereinforcing rings cooperable with the sheath elements to retain the sameagainst collapse and to suitable contour. An important phase of theinvention resides in the design and relative proportions of thereinforcing ring means which is used in cooperation with the outersheath element of the mold assembly, as will appear from the followingspecification.

In the present specification and in the claims appended thereto, theword obround is used to define a plane, closed figure, havingsubstantially parallel sides joined by substantially semi-circular ends.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstructions illustratedand described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mold kit constructed inaccordance with the present invention, with its several parts indisassembled relation;

Fig. 2 .is a perspective view of such a mold, parts being cut away forclarity of illustration, and showing the outer reinforcing ring inreleased association with the assembly;

Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view, showing the outer reinforcing ringin frictionally-jammed relation to the outer sheath; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention, using tworeinforcing rings cooperatively engaged with the assembly.

The present invention may be considered, in some respects, as animprovement upon the invention disclosed in my copending applicationSerial No. 409,615, filed jointly with Richard V. Ford, on February 11,1954, for a Single Use Fiber Board Mold for Water Meter Bar rels. Manyof the objectives of the present invention are the same as those setforth in the said copending application; but it has been found that, insome environ ments, an obround shell or barrel has functional advantagesover a cylindrical tubular element. The present invention contemplatesthe provision of a mold, defined primarily between concentric,telescopically associated sheath members formed of flexible, andpreferably disposable, sheet material, with reinforcing means associatedwith said sheaths to force and retain therein an obround cross sectionalcontour; and a feature of the invention resides in so designing andproportioning at least one of the reinforcing elements that, while suchelement will retain a selected position of adjustment relative to thesheath assembly when desired, it can be readily removed from the sheathassembly after its function has been performed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that thereference numeral 10 indicates a tubular article which may preferably beformed from concrete or like settable material. Such an article may bepoured into a mold cavity defined between an inner sheath 11 and anouter sheath 12, when said sheaths are arranged in concentric,telescopic relation with the outer sheath 12 uniformly perimetrallyspaced from the inner sheath 11. Preferably, but not necessarily, theouter sheath 12 will have a height somewhat greater than that of theinner sheath 11.

Each of the sheaths may be formed of any suitable sheet material, andeach sheath is perimetrally con-- tinuous so that, if desired, thesheaths may be shipped in flat condition and may, when set up, assumealmost any cross sectional contour such as circular, polygonal, oval or,as illustrated, obround.

For holding the inner sheath 11 against inward collapse under thehydraulic pressure of the concrete or similar material to be pouredthereinto, I provide one or more inner reinforcing rings; and, in thedrawings,v I have illustrated two such rings 13 and 14. Preferably, eachsuch ring may be formedfrom heavy wire or rod stock, and preferably eachsuch ring will be continuous and rigid. For the purposes of the presentinvention, each such ring is obround, the ring 13 comprising parallelside portions 15 and 16 and substantially semicircular end portions 17and 18, the longitudinal dimension of the ring, measured between thecenters of its end portions 17 and 18 being substantially greater thanthe transverse dimension thereof, measured between the side portions 15and 16. The ring 14 is identical with the ring 13, comprising parallelside portions 19 and 20 and curved end portions 21 and 22.

It will be readily perceived that, when the ring 13 is pressed intoplace within the sheath 11, and the ring 14 is similarly positionedtherein, at a different level in the height of the sheath, said ringswill force the sheath 11 to assume an obround cross sectional contourcorresponding to the shapes of the rings 13 and 14, it being understood,of course, that the rings 13 and 14 are so dimensioned as to fit snuglywithin the sheath 11.

Now, the sheath 11 and the sheath 12 are brought into concentric,telescopic relation, with the internal surface of the sheath 12uniformly spaced, throughout their perimeters, from the external surfaceof the sheath 11, to

define a mold cavity. The hydraulic pressure of the concrete, or likematerial, to be poured into the mold cavity will act outwardly upon thesheath 12; and because that sheath is perimetrally continuous, thepossibility of damage to the outer sheath 12 from that pressure issomewhat remote, since such outward pressure cannot distort the outersheath except by rupture thereof, as distinguished from the collapsingeffect which the pressure might have upon the inner sheath. I find thata single reinforcing ring is sufiicient for the external support of theouter sheath 12; and its function is primarily to shape the crosssectional contour of the sheath 12. To that end, I provide a ring 31,similar to the rings 13 and 14 in that it comprises parallel sideportions 32 and 33 and substantially semicircular end portions 34 and35. The internal transverse dimension of the ring 31, measured betweenits side portions 32 and 33, is substantially equal to the externaltransverse dimension of the sheath 12, measured between its sidewalls 27and 28 when the sheath is arranged in the above-described associationwith the inner sheath 11; but the longitudinal dimension of the ring 31,measured between the midpoints of its end portions 34 and 35 issubstantially greater than the external longitudinal dimension of thesheath 12, measured between its end portions 29 and 30, when said sheathis so associated with the inner sheath.

As a consequence of this difference between the pro.- portions of thering 31 and the proportions of the cross sectional contour of the sheath12, the ring may be readily and freely sleeved on the sheath 12, itsend. portions 34 and 35 being substantially spaced from the end portions29 and 3% of the sheath. Now, with the ring 31 in the position of Fig. lor that of Fig. 2, the opposite end portions of the ring may be graspedto cant the ring, about a transverse axis, toward and into a positionsuch as that illustrated in Fig. 3. As the ring is so canted, theend'portions 34 and 35approach the end portions 29 and 30.0f the sheath12 and finally come into engagement therewith, whereupon the exertion offurther downward force upon the end 34 of the ring will jam the ringinto frictional, retaining engagement with the sheath. Additionally, asthe ring moves toward and into the position of Fig. 3, its parallel sideportions 32 and 33 assume the illustrated positions in which they lendshaping support to the vside portions 27 and 28 of thesheath over anextended portion thereof, in the direction of height of the sheath.

Now, the concrete may be poured into the mold cavity, as suggested inFig. 3.

It is found that the hydraulic pressure of the concrete tends to causethe sheath 12 to bulge slightly immediately above and immediately belowthe ring 33; and this is true whether the ring is proportioned inaccordance with the present disclosure or is so proportioned as to fitsnugly upon the sheath when the ring lies in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the common axis of the sheaths 11 and 12. In the lattercase, it has been found that it is next to impossible to remove theexternal ring, after the concrete has set; but it will be apparent that,when the ring 31 is used, a very slight movement of the ring 31 toward aplane perpendicular to the common axis of the sheaths will immediatelyprovide such relief, between the ring and the sheath 12, as to releasethe above-mentioned frictional engagement, and to provide convenienthandholds at both ends of the ring, whereby the ring 31 may be readilyslipped off the mold assembly.

In some cases, it may be desirable to provide means for resilientlyurging the ring 31 toward its canted and jammed position; and in thatcase, spring means may be provided, engaging one end or the other of thering 31, to urge that ring end toward canted position.

I have found that, when relatively long barrels, comparable to thatillustrated at 10 in Fig. 4, are to be formed it is sometimes desirableto use two external rings such as are indicated at 31' and 36 in thatfigure. The inner sheath 11' will be suitably internally braced by rings(not shown) such as the rings 13 and 14, and, if desired, more than twosuch internal rings may be used. Preferably, though not necessarily,corresponding ends of the two rings 31' and 36 will be urged toward eachother by means of a tensile spring 37 anchored at its opposite ends tohooks 38 and 39 engaged with the corresponding end portions of the rings31' and 36.

Considerable latitude is permissible in the degree to which thelongitudinal internal dimension of the rings 31, 31 and 36 may exceedthe longitudinal dimension of the sheath 12 or 12. In one assembly whichhas been successfully used, the external longitudinal dimension of thesheath 12 was 19 inches and the internal longitudinal dimension of thering 31 was 24 inches.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mold for use in forming a tubular article of obround cross sectionfrom concrete, or like settable material, comprising an outer, tubularsheath of flexible sheet material, an inner, tubular sheath of flexiblesheet material, reinforcing means comprising at least one obround ringsnugly receivable within said inner sheath to force said sheath intoobround cross sectional shape, and at least one obround ring exteriorlysleevable upon said outer sheath, said last-named ring having atransverse internal dimension substantially equal to the transverseexternal dimension of said first-named ring, increased by twice the wallthickness of said inner sheath, twice the wall thickness of the articleto be formed and twice the wall thickness of said outer sheath, and saidlast-named ring having a longitudinal internal dimension whichsufficiently exceeds the longitudinal external dimension of saidfirst-named ring, increased by twice the wall thickness of said innersheath, twice the Wall thickness of the article to be formed and twicethe wall thickness of said outer sheath to permit said last-named ringto be frictionally jammed into retaining engagement with said outersheath by canting said last-named ring about its median transverse axis,and to be released from such frictional engagement by returning saidlast-named ring into a plane substantially perpendicular to the commonaxis of said sheaths.

2. A mold for use in forming a tubular article of obround cross sectionfrom concrete, or like settable material, comprising an inner, tubularsheath of flexible sheet material, reinforcing means comprising at leastone obround ring snugly receivable within said inner sheath to forcesaid sheath into obround cross sectional shape, an outer, tubular sheathof flexible sheet material adapted to be arranged in concentric relationto said inner sheath and perimetrally uniformly spaced therefrom, and atleast one obround ring exteriorly sleevable upon said outer sheath, thetransverse internal dimention of said lastnamed ring being substantiallyequal to the transverse external dimension of said outer sheath, when soarranged, and the longitudinal internal dimension of said last-namedring sufficiently exceeding the longitudinal c2;- ternal dimension ofsaid outer sheath, when so arranged, that said last-named ring may befrictionally jammed into retaining engagement with said outer sheath bycanting said ring about a transverse axis, and may be released from suchengagement by returning it to a plane substantially perpendicular to thetubular axis of said sheaths,

3. A mold for use in forming a tubular article of obround section fromconcrete, or like settable material, comprising an inner, tubular sheathof flexible sheet material, reinforcing means comprising at least oneobround ring snugly receivable within said inner sheath to force saidsheath into obround cross sectional shape, an outer, tubular sheath offlexible sheet material adapted to be arranged in concentric relation tosaid inner sheath and perimetrally uniformly spaced therefrom, a pair of0bround rings exteriorly sleevable upon said outer sheath, each ring ofsaid pair having a transverse internal dimension substantially equal tothe transverse external dimension of said outer sheath, when sovarranged, and having a longitudinal internal dimension suflicientlyexceeding the longitudinal external dimension of said outer sheath, whenso arranged, that each ring of the pair may be frictionally jammed intoretaining engagei ent with said outer sheath by canting such ring abouta transverse axis, and may be released from such engagement by returningit to a plane substantially perpendicular to the tubular axis of saidsheaths, and means engageable with the rings of said pair for holdingthe same against return to such planes.

4. The mold of claim 3 in which said last-named means is a resilientdevice operatively connected between corresponding ends of the rings ofsaid pair and urging said ring ends toward each other.

5. A mold for use in forming a tubular article of obround cross sectionfrom concrete, or like settable material, comprising an inner, tubularsheath of flexible sheet material, reinforcing means comprising at leastone obround ring snugly receivable within said inner sheath to forcesaid sheath into obround cross sectional shape, an outer, tubular sheathof flexible sheet material adapted to be arranged in concentric relationto said inner sheath and perimetrally uniformly spaced therefrom, atleast one obround ring exteriorly sleevable upon said outer sheath,

the transverse internal dimension ofsaid last-named ring beingsubstantially equal to the transverse external dimension of said outersheath, when so arranged, and the longitudinal internal dimension ofsaid last-named ring sufficiently exceeding the longitudinal externaldimension of said outer sheath, when so arranged, that said last-namedring may be frictionally jammed into retaining .engagement with saidouter sheath by canting said ring about a transverse axis, and may bereleased from such engagement by returning it to a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the tubular axis of said sheaths, and means engagingsaid last-named ring adjacent one end of its longitudinal dimension andholding the same in canted position.

6. A mold for use in forming a tubular article of obround cross sectionfrom concrete, or like settable ma terial, comprising an inner, tubularsheath of flexible sheet material, reinforcing means comprising at leastone obround ring snugly receivable within said inner sheath to forcesaid sheath into obround cross sectional shape, an outer, tubular sheathof flexible sheet material adapted to be arranged in concentric relationto said inner sheath and perimetrally uniformly spaced therefrom, atleast one obround ring exteriorly sleevable upon said outer sheath, thetransverse internal dimension of said last-named ring beingsubstantially equal to the transverse external dimension of said outersheath, when so arranged, and the longitudinal internal dimension ofsaid last-named ring sufficiently exceeding the longitudinal externaldimension of said outer sheath, when so arranged, that said last-namedring may be frictionally jammed into retaining engagement with saidouter sheath by canting said ring about a transverse axis, and may bereleased from such engagement by returning it to a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the tubular axis of said sheaths, and spring meansengaging said last-named ring and resiliently urging the same towardcanted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSChristiansen Nov. 23, 1954

